Books

Now these are not the ten best books that came out in 2015. These are the ten best books I’ve read this year and they are from many different years. Ok, now that we cleared that up, let’s start!

1. The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes
I studied fashion in college and I call myself a fashion blogger, so I’d say that I’m interested in the fashion industry. I really liked this book because the main character was very resilient and likable, I want to be just like her. It’s the only book I read this year that I forced myself awake to just finish one more chapter. Read my full review here.

2. Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date by Katie Heaney
Basically, my life. I’ve read so many young women’s memoirs and this one was the one I could relate to the most. I, too, have a very humorous, yet empty dating life. It’s hard to explain how a cute, stable, charming, twentysomething has never had a boyfriend, but Katie manages to do it in 272 pages. I would love the fill pages with my dating stories like this someday.

3-5. The Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver
Can you picture a world where love is considered a disease that can kill you? Or do you already live in this world? This book is one of the many dystopian trilogies out there, but I think the way the author turns the feeling of love into the enemy is very clever. As someone who is always struggling with feel ok to love and, maybe, I actually do fear it like a disease that could kill me, this book really gave me a lot to think about. I actually have the last paragraph of the last book hanging in my kitchen. Allow me to share: “Take down the walls. That is, after all, the whole point. You do not know what will happen if you take down the walls; you cannot see through to the other side, don’t know whether it will bring freedom or ruin, resolution or chaos. It might be paradise, or destruction. Take down the walls. Otherwise you must live closely, is fear, building barricades against the unknown, saying prayers against the darkness, speaking verse of terror and tightness. Otherwise you may never know hell, but you will not find heaven, either. You will not know fresh air and flying. All of you, wherever you are: in your spiny city or your one-bump towns. Find it, the hard stuff, the links of metal and chink, the fragments of stone filling your stomach. And pull, and pull, and pull. I will make a pact with you: I will do it if you will do it, always and forever. Take down the walls.”
I love it. Ironically.

6. 10% Happier by Dan Harris
I’d recommend this book to anyone. I can really see the value of mediation and Dan goes through his entire journey with it and how it change his life. Even if you don’t want to start a mediation routine, this book has a lot of good advice on how to deal with negative thoughts. I think it would be a great book the start the year off with.

7. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
You’ve see the comics, now read the book! There is so much funny in this book, I laughed out loud multiple times. It’s a super quick read and would make a great palette cleanser after a really long, sad book. Allie’s next book is coming out and expect it to be on next year’s list too.

8. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
This is the final book in Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children trilogy. This book is purely, definably categorized as young adult, which I love. I don’t care if I’m close to 30, I love a story about kids going on adventures. If you’re not familiar with this series, the author used old photographs to inspire the story and you can see them throughout the book. I think it works really well to help you dive deeper into the story. Read my full review here.

9. Night Film by Marisha Pessel
Let me start off by confusing you, the ending it terrible and completely unsatisfying. If you can get past that fact this is a really good mystery. I strongly recommend listening to it as an audio book, that’s what I did. I got really into the mystery of the Cordova family and what happened to their youngest daughter, Ashley. This book slowly revels a little bit of information at a time and makes you want to learn more and more. There were times I wish I could jump into the story so I could watch A Cordova film and help Scott McGrath investigate what happened to Ashley. So good, until the end. Shame.

10. One Kick by Chelsea Cain
I read all of Chelsea Cain’s Gretchen Lowellseries and was excited to hear about her new series. I love a strong female lead and One Kick delivers that. Kick was kidnapped at age six and rescued after five years of captivity. She turned into a vigilante and consistently feels compelled to help find a child when an amber alert is signaled. This book is a lot of set up, but I think there’s potential of this turning in to a great series.

I’m currently reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and could easily made this list if I was a faster reader. I didn’t even finish my Goodreads challenge this year. I only read 34 off the 41 books I intended to read. Do you have a good reads account? We should be friends.

I heard about this book because it was recommended on The Skimm emails I get daily. I was immediately interested because it’s about the fashion industry. I liked this story so much because I instantly related to the main character, Imogen. She is the editor in chief for the fictional fashion magazine, Glossy (think Vogue). She comes back after being out for six months to find her magazine has be taken over by her former assistant, Eve, who is turning her beloved magazine into an app. Imogen had avoided the technology take over for most of her career and it’s finally catching up with her. I related to her so much because, despite my millennial status, I’m still behind on living the digital life. I don’t have a facebook or a twitter and I’m just getting my feet wet with Instagram. This blog has been an experiment in figuring out how to promote in a world that’s over run with “content” and where everyone has a blog. I have to say I’m not catching on to things as quickly as Imogen. But I have years of blogging ahead of me (hopefully) and my story isn’t condensed to 334 pages either. Imogen also gets help from her children’s nanny, Tilly, and tech expert, Rashid (who she met at a tech conference). Both of her helpers are patient, informative and help propel Imogen’s story forward.

While studying in New York, at FIT, I learned how cut throat the fashion industry could be. I only got a taste of it with my classmates, nothing like an editor in chief at a major magazine. Imogen’s ability to remain positive and turn a bad situation into something successful was inspiring! For example: when she was pushed back to the “VIP standing area” (undoubtedly Eve’s doing), she created the hashtag #ScenceFromTheBackRow, which became a huge hit on Instagram. It makes want to come up with clever ideas like but only from Cleveland, Ohio not New York Fashion Week haha. Challenge? I think yes.

This book is super fun, a quick read, and really informative! A perfect beach read for the summer. Even though the main character is only faced with obstacles she remains positive which is infectious and makes you feel good while reading it. The authors created a world that feels like you could step right into it and created characters you really want to route for. I would definitely recommend it to any of my friends.

Another weekend done. I don’t need to say that it went by too fast…but I just did. I was trying to think of a way to sum up my weekend and my current mood going into the new week. I’m kind of on a survey kick and since I’m still feeling out this whole blogging thing, I like the idea of following a template. Anyway here’s something I saw and modified from my friend Amber’s blog.

Reading: Faith by Jennifer Haigh. This is a very different book for me. I usually stick to books recommend to me on my goodreads and, for the most part, it’s on point. This book, not so much. It’s very slow for me and it’s about an uncomfortable subject so I just want to speed right through it.

Eating: Brown Bag Burger. I went there on Saturday with some friends. I think we’re all starting a diet on Monday so we had to get this “last meal” in.

Buying: S’mores Oreos. I love all things S’mores and these are very yummy.

Watching: Moulin Rouge. After burgers we watched one of my favorite movies of all time. Ewan McGregor! Swoon!

Making: Quesadillas. I have a quesadilla maker (the red one) and I’ve been on a kick since Cinco de Mayo. Ginormous flour tortillas are NOT ok to eat when losing weight…I’ve heard.

Drinking: Energy drinks. I should have never started…my friend wanted to pick up one on Saturday before doing some apartment shopping (for her, I just signed my lease to spend another year in the same place). Since I’m a follower, I picked up one too. Now I craving them nonstop. Ugh. I know they’re bad.

Listening: Acoustic Versions of Pop Songs station on Songza. It’s really perfect to have on in the background while blogging.

Wishing: The rain will stop so I can go for walks. It’s the only way I get exercise.

Enjoying: A whole day to myself. I usually have an obligation to my family or a friend wants to hang (I can’t say no #fomo) but not today! I cleaned, shopped, read, watched so much Twin Peaks, and napped. Perfect Sunday. Oh, and I had quesadillas for lunch AND dinner. Judge free.

Wondering: When will Cooper find out who killed Laura Palmer? The second season really drags.